STOCKHOLM: Star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who quit the Swedish national squad in 2016, will not make a comeback for the World Cup in Russia, the Swedish football federation said Thursday.
"I spoke with Zlatan on Tuesday. He said that he has not changed his mind regarding the national squad," the managing director of the national squad, Lars Richt, said in a statement after the player dropped numerous hints of a possible return.
"It's a no," Richt added.
In an appearance on ABC television's late night Jimmy Kimmel…

SHARJAH: While there may be many who will advocate the return of Kamran Akmal in the Pakistan's side after his prolific form at the domestic level and here in the Pakistan Super League but head coach Mickey Arthur ruled that out, a few hours after Kamran Akmal notched a brilliant hundred in Sharjah on Friday.
Asked does he watch Kamran bat against Lahore Qalandars for his 107 not out and does he feel he can be included in the Pakistan team again, Mickey replied: "Look, you never say never. I think, to be brutally honest,…

LONDON: Ben Stokes' return to international cricket was thrown into fresh doubt on Thursday when he was instructed to appear in court on the same day as his potential England comeback match in New Zealand.
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed that the all-rounder is due to make for a first appearance to answer an affray charge at Bristol Magistrates' Court on Feb. 13.
On the same day, England play New Zealand in a T20 in Wellington, their first game in a tri-series also involving Australia.
Read More: Shocking video…

JAKARTA: An increasing number of Indonesians are taking a stand against digital games like Pokemon Go that they say erode values, and encouraging children to play traditional toys like wooden spinning tops and bamboo pinwheels.
Tens of thousands of Indonesians were hooked on Nintendo's augmented reality app, in which players hunt virtual characters in real-life places, months before the smash-hit game was officially launched in the Southeast Asian country.
But parents and teachers worry that children get too caught up in…

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said Thursday he hopes to force his way back into national contention and put the disastrous World Twenty20 behind him with a strong return to English club Hampshire this season.

TEHRAN: After nearly three years out of the public eye following two terms as president, Ahmadinejad has made a handful of appearances in the past few weeks which have stoked talk of a political comeback.

BANGALORE: Australia will be determined to demolish underdogs Bangladesh in their World Twenty20 clash on Monday, to secure their first points in the group stages and increase their chances of reaching the semi-finals.